Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

M. RUTHENBURG.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 318,508. Patented May 26, 1885.

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MARCUS RUTHENBURG, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOlVl/ i'l'iG FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,508, dated May 26, 1885.

Application filed December 17, 1883.

T0 ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Minions RUTHENBURG, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Automatic Fire- Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the class of fire-extinguishing devices commonly known as sprinklers, in which a system of pipes which are kept constantly charged with water or other fire quenching fluid under pressure have a series of ajutages that are normally closed by valves under control of devices whose action is suspended whenever the temperature of the surrounding air becomes sufflcient to melt a retaining iustrumentality of some fusible metal.

The object of myinvention is a construction which secures for the fusible release the promptness and certainty of action without which such expedients are worse than useless.

I employ as a distinguishing and essential feature a fusible band, tube, or ring, which in closes, and for the time being confines, the lever which operates to hold the valve to its seat on the mouth of the aj utage. Associated with such band, lever, &c., I employ other mechanical features, to be presently described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an axial section, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view, of the preferred form of my sprinkler, the same being shown in its normal or closed condition. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sprinkler in its open or operative condition.

A represents one of numerous ajutages or nozzles upon a system of pipes, (not shown,) which contain water or other fire-extinguishing liquid or gas under considerable pressure, preferably not less than one hundred pounds to the square inch.

The mouth of eachaj utage is supplied with avalve, 13, preferably a rubber sphere of about twice the diameter of the ajutagepassage. This valve is normally held firmly against the ajutage-mout-h, as on a seat, by the following instrumentalities:

That half of the valve remote from the aj utage occupies a hemispherical shell, O, which shell is in turn inclosedin a cup-formed guard, D. This guard with its inclosed shell and valve is confined in a cage composed of a panshaped deflector, E, and three parallel (No model.)

and equidistant bars, F, that connect said deflector to the ajutage, and within which the thus guarded valve, when at liberty, freely slides. A portion of-the deflector substance is stamped into a staple-formed projection, e, that receives an arm, G, that projects radially from the deflector in the manner shown. Another portion of the deflector diametrically remote from c is stamped into the form of a lip, e, that projects perpendicularly from the defiector. This stamping creates an orifice, e, for reception of a bent or hook-formed lever, H, whose shorter limb, h,when the longer limb, h,is drawn close to arm G, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) presses against the outside of the guard D at or near the center of its flat circular portion, so as to hold the valve close against the mouth of the aj utage and to close the same.

An inclosing tube, ring, or band, J, of ametallic alloy such as will fuse at the desired temperature-say 150 Fahrenheit-being slipped over the thus approximated ends of arm G and lever H, operates to hold them to that position, and thus to keep the ajutage closed by the valve for any length. of time until the approach of a conflagration subjects the said fusible band to a melting heat, causing it to drop away from and to liberate the lever, and by so doing to permit the water or other fluid contents of the pipes to force the valve to the position indicated in Fig. 3. The thus liberated water, striking the valve, the edge of the guard, the deflector, and the cage-bars, is scattered or projected in a spray in every direction-upward, downward, and sidewiseso as to reach every object within the range of its delivery.

The extremity of the longer limb, h, of the bent lever is bent slightly away from the arm G, as shown, in order to prevent the band J slipping off of the rod.

The lip e is useful in holding the extremity of the shorter limb, 71,0f the lever H accurately central against the guard D.

In use the band J may be placed, at'option of the user, only so distant from the fulcrum it of the lever as to insure the normal closure of the valve against the highest internal pressure of the pipes.

The fusible member J, being distantIfrom the water, and having nearly its entire surface freely exposed to the air, and very little surface contact with conducting bodies, is exceptionally prompt and certain in action, breaking entirely asunder even before the water begins to flow.

The discharge of the ajutage is large and free, permitting anything that will enter its immediate supplypipe to pass through it, and the valve, resting against the seat by a mere circular line, is not liable to stick.

The hemispherical shape of the shell 0 causes distribution of the lever-pressurewithout sensible distortion of the valve.

I claim as new and of my invention- 1. The combination of nozzle A, pandeflector E, bars F, guard D, valve B, arm G, lever H, having limb h, and fusible sleeve J, as set forth.

MARCUS RUTHENBURG.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, S. S. CARPENTER. 

